What is the standard treatment for thyroid cancers?

The standard treatment for thyroid cancers is surgery, specifically a total or partial thyroidectomy, depending on the type and stage of the cancer. This surgical intervention aims to remove the tumor and surrounding tissue to achieve the best chance of eradication of the disease. In many cases, particularly with differentiated thyroid cancers such as papillary and follicular carcinoma, surgery is the primary curative approach.

While external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) does have a role in certain advanced cases or specific subtypes resistant to surgery, it is not the standard initial treatment. Chemotherapy is typically not effective for most thyroid cancers and is rarely used, as these tumors often do not respond well to traditional cytotoxic agents. Hormone therapy may be employed after surgery, particularly in differentiated thyroid cancers, to suppress TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels or to replace thyroid hormones, but it is not curative on its own.

Thus, the emphasis on surgical intervention reflects the fundamental principle of managing thyroid cancer, prioritizing complete removal of the malignant tissue to improve prognosis and decrease the likelihood of recurrence.